Post Scriptum
Gnomic (Gr: "opinion") verse is curt and concise, summarizing
the truth of reality, ranging from divine expression to common
experience. Among the Greeks Lobon is notorious, but his collection
is lost; the marginata of Theognis point at other putative masters;
Pythagoras wrote some on the nature of infinity; and Sophocles
expanded his meager threads into broadcloth drama. Persian and Vedic
poetry abounds in aphorism and much of Snorri's Icelandic Edda is
gnomic. Hans Rosenpluet wrote a scandalous priamel series at
Nuremberg ca. 1450, and there's several collections of English
Maxims which embellish the morality plays. Oriental minimalist
haiku has flourished since Bashõ (1644-1694). Most of the world's
gnomic verse seem to be springboards to extensive ethical discourse;
some are magickal (note the Aphorisms of Patanjali); some are prophetic
(cf: Nostradamus and Daniel 9:27); and some are actually funny (Nash,
Murphy, Hallmark). One could argue that mathematical formulae are
absolutely gnomic---perhaps Einstein is our best poet. Musical
tablature is symbolic brevity transcendent in scope. What god writes
in her diary when she gets home from work is where I plug in.
Do thou likewise. : )
*
Copyright (c) 2008 Jack R. Wesdorp

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